Pan Xiao Ting wins 1st WPBA Qualifier!

[Colin Colenso]

I just saw this news via CRI Online via a Google Alert!
------------
http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/301/2006/01/17/165@43911.htm
China's 9-ball pool specialist, Pan Xiaoting, has won the Legends Billiard and Grill tournament in the United States.
The 23-year-old girl is the first Chinese player from the mainland to play in the WPBA tour.

Pan outshone 66 competitors with only one loss and qualified for the Great Lakes Classic on January 21.

The cueist, who won the prestigious All-Japan Snooker Championships last November, now sits at third place in the 9-ball world rankings after Allison Fisher of the United States and Ireland's Karen Corr.
---------------------
I believe it was the Florida Classic Tour event she won this weekend.

Does anyone have any knowledge of what transpired there?

 

[SPetty]

Hunter Classics Tour

Hi Colin,

It was the Hunter Classics Tour at Legends Billiards and Grill in Brenham, TX.

You can find some info in Melinda's post here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=24360

And more info here:
http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=3306

I had my best finish ever (13-16th) in that tournament, but then I didn't play Xiaoting Pan! It's not mentioned in the articles, but it was after playing against me that Lisa Marr Brannen went to the one loss side. Of course, I didn't actually beat her, but was the recipient of more lucky rolls than you have ever seen in one match. Seriously. She'll tell ya!

 

[Colin Colenso]

Hi Colin,

It was the Hunter Classics Tour at Legends Billiards and Grill in Brenham, TX.

You can find some info in Melinda's post here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=24360

And more info here:
http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=3306

I had my best finish ever (13-16th) in that tournament, but then I didn't play Xiaoting Pan! It's not mentioned in the articles, but it was after playing against me that Lisa Marr Brannen went to the one loss side. Of course, I didn't actually beat her, but was the recipient of more lucky rolls than you have ever seen in one match. Seriously. She'll tell ya!

Thanks a ton SPetty...and well done in the tourney

I don't know how I missed that thread and the news. I was searching all weekend

Pan didn't seem to power through the event as I imagined she might. Must be a lot of tough lady players over there. She does seem to have the knack of winning events though...a true champion quality.

Colin

And here is Pan in the US:

 

[Tbeaux]

Oh yeah, she's the girl Nipponbilliards was discussing a while back. Pretty, shots great stick and from Colins pic she does the one eye squinty thing like all us averge joes. I think she could do well over here in the US.

Terry

 

[Barbara]

Colin,

Congrats to Pan. That is one tough tour to play in. Great players and LOTS of them!

I'm trying to snag a Q for the BCA event in Vegas. It'll be my April 15th/16th event in Clifton, NJ. Stay tuned.

Barbara

 

[sjm]

Nobody knows this better than Barbara, but let's have a little walk down WPBA qualifier memory lane:

Once upon a time there was a lady named Karen Corr, and whenever she showed up to a WPBA qualifier, it was bad news for all other comers. The ladies just couldn't wait until Karen qualifed for the WPBA tour full time!

Then there was this young lady named Ga Young Kim. Whenever she showed up to a WPBA qualifier, it was bad news for all other comers. The ladies just couldn't wait until Ga Young qualifed for the WPBA tour full time!

Along came another dynamo named Kelly Fisher. Whenever she showed up to a WPBA qualifier, it was bad news for all other comers. The ladies just couldn't wait until Kelly qualifed for the WPBA tour full time!

And now there's Pan. She may prove as dangerous on the qualifier scene as these others, each of whom are now ranked in the Top 5 on the WPBA.

PS Anyone know whether Austrian phenom Jasmin Ouschan will be playing the qualifiers this year?

 

[Barbara]

Nobody knows this better than Barbara, but let's have a little walk down WPBA qualifier memory lane:

Once upon a time there was a lady named Karen Corr, and whenever she showed up to a WPBA qualifier, it was bad news for all other comers. The ladies just couldn't wait until Karen qualifed for the WPBA tour full time!

LOL sjm!! You don't need to take me down memory lane about Karen's complete dominance of the NorthEastern Women's Tour when Candi Rego ran it and then Micaela and I took the reins. I truly believe I held the record for drawing Karen in the first round - 9 times in three years. Talk about a death sentence to the wrong side of the chart!!

But there was one time I was holding my own against her in a match and she had to switch her stragedy to freeze me out. I will never forget that match, and that was 7 years ago. Sweet memories.

And you know, Karen is why Mic and I made most events "Semi-Pro/Amatuer" only, but I'm having second thoughts and I'm thinking about opening all my events up to any WPBA Touring Pro that wants to play. Okay, maybe not all of JPNEWT's events, but most. Any thoughts?

Barbara~~~I figure I'm due against Karen soon...

 

[Tbeaux]

How do you pronounce her middle(?) name. Is it a middle name?

Terry <very confused by chinese names and don't even get me started on Jenn Chens real name.

 

[Barbara]

How do you pronounce her middle(?) name. Is it a middle name?

Terry <very confused by chinese names and don't even get me started on Jenn Chens real name.

Terry,

The "X" in Chinese is pronounced like soft "CH", so it would sound like "SCHIAO", but quickly, not elongated.

Colin, correct me....

Barbara

 

[Barbara]

Hi Colin,

It was the Hunter Classics Tour at Legends Billiards and Grill in Brenham, TX.

You can find some info in Melinda's post here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=24360

And more info here:
http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=3306


I had my best finish ever (13-16th) in that tournament, but then I didn't play Xiaoting Pan! It's not mentioned in the articles, but it was after playing against me that Lisa Marr Brannen went to the one loss side. Of course, I didn't actually beat her, but was the recipient of more lucky rolls than you have ever seen in one match. Seriously. She'll tell ya!

Hey Spetty!

You know, when that starts happening, you're supposed to tell your opponent that Dunkin Donuts is calling and they want that "Sweet Roll Recipe" they've got! LOL!!

Barbara

 

[rackmsuckr]

Hi Colin,

It was the Hunter Classics Tour at Legends Billiards and Grill in Brenham, TX.

You can find some info in Melinda's post here:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=24360

And more info here:
http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=3306

I had my best finish ever (13-16th) in that tournament, but then I didn't play Xiaoting Pan! It's not mentioned in the articles, but it was after playing against me that Lisa Marr Brannen went to the one loss side. Of course, I didn't actually beat her, but was the recipient of more lucky rolls than you have ever seen in one match. Seriously. She'll tell ya!

Hey SPetty,

Good going! I'll bet it was the new chalk, huh? <wink, wink>

 

[akaTrigger]

Pan

Thanks a ton SPetty...and well done in the tourney

I don't know how I missed that thread and the news. I was searching all weekend

Pan didn't seem to power through the event as I imagined she might. Must be a lot of tough lady players over there. She does seem to have the knack of winning events though...a true champion quality.

Colin

Hi Colin,

I was wondering all weekend why I didn't hear from you... I was giving play by plays for my first time!

Pan played very well! Words can't even describe her skills - everyone must see her play in person.

I was contacted by SINA Sports (the No. 1 sports website in China) the very next morning after the tournament, who wanted info and photos of her - they said she has a large fan base in China.

Melinda

 

[akaTrigger]

Colin,

Congrats to Pan. That is one tough tour to play in. Great players and LOTS of them!

I'm trying to snag a Q for the BCA event in Vegas. It'll be my April 15th/16th event in Clifton, NJ. Stay tuned.

Barbara

Hey Barbara,

We are thinking our March tournament at Magoos in Tulsa will bring in lots of girls from around the country because that's when we are going to have our Qualifier for the BCA pro event in Vegas. I heard from Pan's translator she might come to our's in March since she's now going to the WPBA Michigan tournament in March.

I hope you also have that BCA Qualifier! Isn't it exciting?!

Melinda

 

[Colin Colenso]

Hi Colin,

I was wondering all weekend why I didn't hear from you... I was giving play by plays for my first time!

Pan played very well! Words can't even describe her skills - everyone must see her play in person.

I was contacted by SINA Sports (the No. 1 sports website in China) the very next morning after the tournament, who wanted info and photos of her - they said she has a large fan base in China.

Melinda

Hi Melinda,
I sure would have jumped into the chat and pestered you for more info had I noticed it...silly me

Yes, in the last 4 months since Pan Xiao Ting (It is pronounced like sh + yow the ow sound like cow. The sh is quite soft so it often sounds like the Chinese call her yao when they say her name quickly. Friends usually refer to her as xiao ting, Pan is her family name, but they always would say Pan Xiao Ting and the full name and never Xiao Ting Pan)....oops start again.

Since she got an agency behind here which started getting her TV interviews, doing professional photography. Spreading news to websites, that her popularity has began to boom.

I've known her for over 4 years and used to do my best to send reports about her to the media. It's great that now the media are chasing after her for news

Colin

 

[davidhop]

I just saw this news via CRI Online via a Google Alert!
------------
http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/301/2006/01/17/165@43911.htm
China's 9-ball pool specialist, Pan Xiaoting, has won the Legends Billiard and Grill tournament in the United States.
The 23-year-old girl is the first Chinese player from the mainland to play in the WPBA tour.

Pan outshone 66 competitors with only one loss and qualified for the Great Lakes Classic on January 21.

The cueist, who won the prestigious All-Japan Snooker Championships last November, now sits at third place in the 9-ball world rankings after Allison Fisher of the United States and Ireland's Karen Corr.
---------------------
I believe it was the Florida Classic Tour event she won this weekend.

Does anyone have any knowledge of what transpired there?

There is a link on the right hand side of the front page of www.azbilliards.com

 

[X Breaker]

This is a translation of Ms. Pan's journal reporting her experience in the Hunter Classic qualifier. Please forgive me if I have made some mistakes with the translation of the names as they were all written in Chinese in the original text.

"I arrived the pool hall at 9:30am, the room is packed so I decided not to practise. I started my first round at 10:15am and my first opponent was Anna. It was a very exciting match. Anna lead the match at 4 to 2, then 6 to 2. Since it was a race to 7 and Anna was on her last 9 ball, everyone in the room thought I was being sentenced to death. Fortunately for me, she over cut the 9 and it stopped just short of the pocket. I took all the balls out from the pocket to prevent the 9 from popping out, and pocketed the 9.

During this match, my translator was even more nervous than I was, she told me later that she could not believe the 9 would stop just in front of the pocket, she said it was like a miracle!

I fell in love with the curly fries, and the "blue bell" ice cream in this nice little town.

My next match started at 1:10pm, my opponent was Helen. I won that match 7 to 2. My third opponent was Leslie Ann Roger and she was playing really strong. She had won the Hunter Classic four times in the past. She played really well and jumped to a 5 to 1 lead right off the gate, I tried to catch up and tied the score at 5 to 5, I won my next game to get on the hill at 6 to 5, but ended up losing 7 to 6.

I still had my chance to play in the finals as long as I won the loser bracket. I played my 4th match at 4:20pm and won 7 to 5. Although I was a bit tired but things went well for me in my last three matches.

I played Leslie again in the finals and I had to beat her twice, which I did. I won the first set 7 to 2, and the second set 7 to 3 after a short break.

After the tournament, I had dinner with Leslie, and my translator. We had a good time discussing pool and how to play certain shots, may be it was because I had a lot of respect for her game.

I did not play very well in this tournament. There were a few things I was not really used to. The air conditioning was a bit too cold for me, and the second hand smoke was really heavy.

The tournament lasted very long. It was very draining both physically and emotionally. I felt very nervous and frustrated a few times but I managed to win nevertheless. I am very happy."


(original text and photo courtesy of my147.com)

 

[Colin Colenso]

Thanks Richard,
I just read that article on my147 via a software translator.

Your translation was a lot easier to read
Colin

 

[sniper]

PS Anyone know whether Austrian phenom Jasmin Ouschan will be playing the qualifiers this year?

It looks like she won't be playing the qualifiers this year, but when she does play the qualifiers I will feel sorry for the other competitors, that girl can shoot

 

[Barbara]

I hope you also have that BCA Qualifier! Isn't it exciting?!

Melinda

Melinda,

I'm glad the BCA is allowing the tours to host these Qs. Only Touring Pros are being invited to play in Vegas so all the other players will have to scramble to try and win one of these Qs.

Barbara

 

[DoomCue]

I'm curious - how did she get to be #3 in the world?

-djb